Angel of Darkness
by Astro Purple
Summary: An X5 who didn't escape and is now sent to hunt down those who did. But who's side is she on? R/R please! Rated PG for violence, language, and sexual references, but mostly language.
1. Chapter 1

Angel of Darkness  
  
By Astro Purple  
  
AstroPurpl@aol.com  
  
PG for language, violence, and some sexual references, but mostly language.  
  
Timeline: After Jace met Max but before season two with a few minor changes. Okay, okay, rather big changes. I loved Ben, Brin, and Tinga a lot and can't bear the thought of not writing about them. So Brin was rescued safely from Manticore for a third time and is back to normal. Tinga managed to get to Canada, and Max got to Charlie and Case before Lydecker and they're with her. Plus Max managed to drag Ben out of the woods and get him some help. There was a chemical imbalance with his brain that medication corrected.  
  
Summary: An X5 who didn't escape and is now sent to hunt down those who did.  
  
Author's Note: When Jace was introduced, I was intrigued at the prospect of X5s coming up against their own kind. I was a bit disappointed in how the writers got Jace to change sides so quickly.  
  
Disclaimer: Dark Angel characters belong to the wonderful people who bring Dark Angel to us.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
A feeling of satisfaction filled her as she watched her victim fall. She stood over him watching his labored breathing as wide eyes stared up at her. She knelt down, running her fingers through his messed up hair, smoothing it back from his forehead.  
  
"How---" He started to say wide-eyed.  
  
She cut him off. "You're no match for me, X5-205." She whispers softly, gazing at him with a faraway look in her eyes. "Tell the others that I am coming for them. They can run, but they can't hide. Not from me." Swiftly she stood up and disappeared into the night.  
  
Still dazed, Zane shoves himself up staring at the spot where she'd disappeared. "Shit." He mutters wiping blood from his face. Weakly, he begins to make his way back towards his cabin.  
  
* * *  
  
The sun was just rising as Max stepped back into her apartment pushing her Ninja. Instantly she knew something wasn't right as she froze, searching the room with her eyes. Original Cindy couldn't be back yet, Max had seen her leave Crash the night before with a leggy blonde.  
  
"It's just us." A low gruff voice said coming from her bedroom.  
  
"Zack!" She exclaimed surprised. "What's going on?" She demanded, her voice getting all business-like the minute she caught sight of Brin and Jondy and a couple other faces peering from behind him.  
  
Zane meekly steps out of the doorway nursing an arm in a sling and a heck of a black eye. "Hey Max."  
  
Max frowns. "Zane! What in hell happened to you?" She glanced at Jondy and then Zack for an explanation.  
  
"Our security problem." Zack said. "Someone beat him up pretty badly, a girl." He added for emphasis.  
  
"It's not like she was a regular girl." Zane protested in his defense. "She knew about us, she knew I was X5-205." And it wouldn't surprise me if she was another X5 also. He thought the last bit to himself, going over the details of the fight. She'd surprised him. He hadn't expected anyone else to be in the woods, it wasn't like he was near civilization, and especially near midnight. He wasn't even sure why he had ventured out into the night, for all he knew, they wouldn't be in this predicament if he hadn't left his cabin. She might never have found him and beaten him so bad. But then her words came back to him.  
  
Tell the others that I'm coming for them. They can run, but they can't hide. Not from me.  
  
Shit. They were in trouble. She'd somehow managed to find him, even out in the middle of nowhere.  
  
"Zane... earth to Zane."  
  
He shook himself out of his thoughts, realizing Max was standing in front of him. "Yeah?" He asked warily, hoping she wasn't going to chastise him also for being beaten by a girl. He caught Krit giving him a snide look and he couldn't help but hope he'd get to meet their female hunter also.  
  
Max sighed catching him give Krit a 'drop dead' glare. "Zane, this girl, what did she look like? Did she have any marks on her that could help us figure out who she is?"  
  
Zane sighed, the others had already given him the third degree inquisition. He hadn't been able to supply them anything helpful. "She was a girl, dark hair, dark eyes, a bit shorter than me so I'd say about five six, killer body and moves, tight black leather showcasing all those luxurious curves, if she had a barcode it was well hidden, and did I mention she was extremely hot?"  
  
Max smacked him with the palm of her hand. "And I'll bet if she'd got you in bed and then were to ask you if you would happily die miserably for her, you'd say yes."  
  
Zane shrugged. "She didn't ask me, so how should I know?"  
  
Jondy rolled her eyes. "We questioned him before, he couldn't tell us anything helpful. Some X5 he turned out to be." She muttered. "I think he's the only one without a photographic memory."  
  
Zane glared at her. "She moved fast. You try remember details while trying to keep yourself alive at the same time. She fought---" He broke off remember something.  
  
Each of the X5s waited with controlled patience as he seemed to recall something.  
  
"It was weird." Zane said thinking out loud. "In the beginning, some of the moves she pulled, it was almost as if she knew what was on my mind. But she couldn't have been telepathic. I used everything I remembered from Manticore. Trying to take her down without hurting her. But she countered each of my moves, even stopping me before I had made a move. Once in a while she'd sort of smile at me, it was like she was taunting me. She kept pushing me to use my strength and my speed more and more, I was tired, and then she took me down. If she hadn't known what I was before that, she did then."  
  
Syl pulled out a gun and cocked it. "Zane said she could have killed him, and the only reason she didn't was to have him tell us that we can run, but we can't hide from her. I say we just root out this bitch and kill her before she gets to any of us."  
  
Zack agreed, looking around for opposition. And of course, this opposition came from Max, the one person who disliked following orders from others.  
  
"We can't just kill her, we don't even know who she is. If she's Manticore than she deserves a chance to break away. Like Jace, we can't leave her to spend the rest of her days in that hellhole." Max looked from face to face, hoping someone would help her plead her case. "We don't have a right just going around and killing people who threaten us."  
  
Brin sighed. "Max is right." She said watching Zack's facial expression closely. "You guys gave me a chance."  
  
Ben crossed his arms. "It was different with you, Brin. We knew you, and somewhere inside yourself you wanted to remember and get out of Manticore. And with Jace, deep down she envied us that we had the strength to break away. Plus she was pregnant."  
  
"Zack..." Max turned to Zack, their big brother, their Commanding Officer.  
  
Zack kept his face perfectly emotionless as he considered what had been said. Finally he turned in answer to Max. "Then what do you propose we do?"  
  
Max broke into a smile, sighing with relief. "Well first, we get out of this place in case she followed Zane. We'll meet," She scribbled an address down on a sheet of paper. "at this place." She held it up for everyone to see, catching a scowl on Zack's face. "He'll help us find out who she is." She folded up the paper and lit it, watching it burn. "In half an hour."  
  
Each of the X5s nodded, in the next ten minutes, they left in small groups, until finally only Max and Zack was left.  
  
The silence between them was almost endless until Max broke it. "Thanks Zack." She said. Zack only grunted in response. Max sighed, wondering when the two of them could ever have a real conversation. "I guess we should get going." She said trying to keep her emotions out of her facial expression and tone of voice.  
  
* * *  
  
Seattle. Everything always led back to Seattle. They had told her not to be surprised if she found herself in Seattle, and yet she couldn't help but be surprised. They were the best out of the X5 series, they had been trained to avoid capture, and it included keeping on the move. And yet one of them chose to continue staying in Seattle, long after she'd been compromised. She couldn't suppress the flash of disgust, which crossed her mind. Designate X5-452, Max.  
  
She backed away from the edge of the desolate Space Needle, the High Place of the city. More than ten years later, she still couldn't shake those stories they came up with. The Blue Lady, the High Place, the Nomalies. She told herself over and over again that she didn't believe in it, but at night when sleep wouldn't claim her, she found herself climbing out of her barrack, out the window, and up to the roof. There, their little shrine still stood. No one had ever found it. The picture of the Blue Lady, or what's left of it was still present, along with a used up candle stub and a pile of old teeth. Their teeth.  
  
X5-387 began the long descent back towards the ground. She had to focus on her mission at hand and remember that they were the enemies, the traitors. They had left her and all the rest of the X5 series at Manticore to suffer their punishment. She'd been placed in isolation containment for over a week, endured grueling questions as to whether or not this had been planned ahead of time, and by whom. She hadn't known anything. Their CO had only informed those he was close to. The eleven who escaped with him. Harsh hatred flashed through her, clouding up her emotions. She hated them. She hated all of them, but mostly Zack, X5-599 she hated to a degree that couldn't be described. They were suppose to be family, but he had split them up. In total, there were twenty four of them. Twenty four X5s. She'd lost Eva and Jack to Manticore. And then finally she'd lost twelve more of her siblings to the world outside. Just when things were beginning to look good, Jace was gone. If any of the traitors was going to die, it would be Zack, Zack for splitting them up, for breaking their family apart, and for turning them against each other.  
  
You wish you were one of the twelve, don't you? A tiny voice inside her head asked that as she began walking away from the Space Needle, anywhere but where she had been. Manticore wasn't a place to live and grow up. You knew that deep down. Don't deny it. And she didn't. She didn't deny it. She'd never in her life denied that Manticore was hell.  
  
A payphone was up ahead, and it was time to check-in. She dialed the number and then waited.  
  
"Yes?" A voice on the other end demanded attention.  
  
"Seattle. Eleven of them are here, just as you said they'd be. The twelfth is in Canada but on her way." She answered.  
  
"Good. Now find them, and kill them. We don't need mistakes like them walking around in this world."  
  
Shocked, she could only numbly reply. "Yes sir."  
  
* * *  
  
"Here we go." Logan said as a file popped up on his screen. Eleven X5s gathered around him and his computer as a picture appeared. "X5-387 was dispatched less than a week ago to pursue you all. It doesn't state anything else." He turned around to face them in his chair. "I'm assuming you all know her."  
  
Silently they retreated back into the living room. Each in their own thoughts.  
  
"Yeah." Max finally answered. "X5-387, Fala."  
  
* * *  
  
What does everyone think? I've been away from the fanfic realm for quite a while so I'm not even sure if I'm a decent writer anymore. Comments, flames, suggestions, etc. appreciated. 


	2. Chapter 2

Angel of Darkness  
  
By Astro Purple  
  
AstroPurpl@aol.com  
  
PG for language, violence, and some sexual references, but mostly language.  
  
Timeline: After Jace met Max but before season two with a few minor changes. Okay, okay, rather big changes. I loved Ben, Brin, and Tinga a lot and can't bear the thought of not writing about them. So Brin was rescued safely from Manticore for a third time and is back to normal. Tinga managed to get to Canada, and Max got to Charlie and Case before Lydecker and they're with her. Plus Max managed to drag Ben out of the woods and get him some help. There was a chemical imbalance with his brain that medication corrected.  
  
Summary: An X5 who didn't escape and is now sent to hunt down those who did.  
  
Author's Note: First I'd like to say thanks to Nikki for pulling my head out of the muddle it's in. I got the Space Needle and the Sears Tower mixed up. But I swear those two look alike. Okay so the Sears Tower is an actual building and the Needle is more like the Eiffel Tower, but atleast I put down an American building. Also, I've made a small change to my satisfaction, it doesn't affect the first chapter, but I thought I should mention it. I like Lydecker, he had a weird way of showing affection (i.e. trying to protect Max at the end of season 1), but he was still a cool character. Lydecker right now is working with the escaped X5s, and the one in charge of Manticore right now is Renfro, a.k.a. Madame X.  
  
Disclaimer: Dark Angel characters belong to the wonderful people who bring Dark Angel to us.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
The weight of the duffel bag slowed her down, but it didn't stop her from scaling the side of the building. Once in a while she stopped and just hung there, suspended in mid-air with only a thin piece of rope keeping her from falling. Not that she minded falling; she just didn't like falling when the fall came unbidden. Satisfied that no one had heard her, yet, she continued with what she was doing. Her solo missions had never been this hard before. Maybe it was because of the people she had to kill. They weren't X5s, no acute hearing, no tunneling sight, not even fast reflexes, there wasn't any challenge involved in sneaking in and disposing of them quickly and efficiently.  
  
Finally reaching the top, she pulled herself over the ledge and onto the roof, solid ground. The duffel bag dropped with a thump and she froze. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Her mind screamed at her as she stood perfectly still, letting her senses tell her what's going on. Nothing out of the ordinary. She sighed with relief. Apparently her fellow X5s thought they were perfectly safe. She smirked. Not for long. Unzipping the duffel bag, she pulled out its contents one by one, inspecting each item carefully.  
  
Eleven X5s, are you sure you can handle them? A voice in her mind inquired. Her voice. "I'm perfectly capable." She whispered to herself. "They're not better than me." She added, to reassuring herself.  
  
Silently, she picked out two wrist gauntlets, strapping on four thin blades each. Pulled down, her jacket sleeves covered up the weapon and she tested one, flicking her right wrist. One of the three thin blades shot out and buried itself into the now empty duffel bag. With a nod, she drew it from its soft sheath and slid it back into its holder. A disgusted glance was thrown at the various other weapons. Guns, rifles, grenades, and bombs. None of that was her style.  
  
X5s. Her mind whispered to her, reminding her what she was up against this time. With a sigh, a .38 caliber found its way into her pocket. Even through two layers she could feel the cold metal of the gun. Pushing her thoughts to the very back of her mind, she began to gather her rappel rope. Her entrance would be through the skylights that rose like a pyramid before her. As for her exit, whatever was convenient. She tossed her gear together and shoved it with her foot towards a corner. If she had a chance, she'd return to collect it.  
  
* * *  
  
"Fala was one of the younger ones." Max explained as Logan listened. "We couldn't take her with us. She would be caught for sure. Zack's plan was for the stronger and older ones to get away, and then later come back for the younger ones. We. we promised them we'd be back. one day." She fell silent, allowing Logan to guess the rest.  
  
Logan lowered his head, trying to hide the judgement in his eyes.  
  
Krit spoke up defiantly. "We didn't leave them behind on purpose! They were our family, it was hard for us to leave them in the first place!"  
  
Teary-eyed, Trisha murmured so low that Logan almost didn't catch her words. "We were only kids. Seven, eight, just kids. Fala and the others, they were five, we had to leave them behind. If we didn't, none of us would have made it. They would have held us back, and each of us knew that when we made the final decision. It wasn't just Zack calling the shots. We all decided. Our promise to them, we probably shouldn't have made it, but in our hearts we thought we could do it. We thought we could pull it off."  
  
"We could've, but we were separated during the escape. We didn't know who was alive, who was dead. None of us knew how many managed to make it alive, how many were taken back, or even how many died." Zack said forcefully.  
  
"When we did regroup, it'd been over ten years. We didn't know what had happened to them. They could have been reprogrammed and there'd be no way for us to ever fully get them back, and not to mention they could hate us now." Nick spoke softly, really shy for an X5, Max almost jumped for joy to hear her brother's voice. "By the time we heard solid information from when Lydecker defected, it was too late. The new director had relocated Manticore."  
  
Logan took off his glasses and tried to occupy himself with wiping the lenses. "If this Fala shows up. what are you going to do? She wants to kill you, all."  
  
"We'll take it as it comes." Max said stiffly, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. She stood up, all the others following her example. "We should go, in case she finds out about this place. We don't want Manticore tracing us to you." She tried to make it sound like she was concerned for his safety, but from the look in Logan's eyes, he understood. If they have no choice, and it comes down to having to kill Fala, Logan would try to stop them. Best to take it away from his sight.  
  
"If she's in town, she'll be at the High Place." Ben said reaching for the doorknob.  
  
Just as Max was about to agree, a crash above her head caused her to look up. A black form was flying towards her head and instinctually she leaped aside. The figure landed in the midst of them and became a blur as it moved around the room.  
  
"Fala!" Zane's voice yelled as he reached out to grab the figure coming towards him. All he received was a kick in the stomach, which sent him reeling backwards. He caught a movement of her wrist and didn't have time to think until Jondy came crashing against him, shoving him out of the way. He heard a grunt and felt a warm liquid trickle against his neck.  
  
Brin's voice stirred reality. "Jondy!" She saw her brother fall from a kick, and then saw Jondy crash into him. She hadn't figured it out until she saw the thin metal buried in Jondy's shoulder and the blood. Fala's really trying to kill us! Her mind screeched at her after she did the quick calculations and realized that the blade had originally been meant for Zane's throat.  
  
Fala turned, disgust filling her features when she realized she'd missed. Her aiming had to be better next time. She turned quickly looking for her next target, and found one. Ben, her mind somehow recognized as she let another one of the blades fly.  
  
"Ben, outta the way!" Krit yelled for his older brother as he came up behind their assailant and grabbed her. He griped her wrists, keeping them pointed down as he waited for somebody, anybody to give him a hand. She struggled, losing two more of the blades to the carpet, while Krit did his best to avoid getting kicked in his shins. "Ow!" He growled as the heel of her foot made contact.  
  
Lucas approached, cautiously. This was a Fala he didn't know.  
  
"Hurry up dick-head!" Krit yelled at Lucas. "I can't hold her forever."  
  
Fala grinned, seeing the apprehension on Lucas' face. He didn't want to hurt her, but he knew she needed to be stopped. Fala ignored Krit for a second and lashed out with one of her feet to kick Lucas in the face. He managed to block two of her blows before faltering and letting himself get hit. He stumbled backwards crushing the coffee table, leaving her alone for now. "Pathetic." She retorted before catching sight of Max coming at her holding a syringe full of some crap. "No, I don't think so." She lost another blade as she finally managed to loosen Krit's hold enough to toss him off her and at Max. She shot out another blade, this one finding her target and lodging itself in Krit's back.  
  
Ben glanced at a complete loss as to what to do to where Krit was writhing in pain to where Fala was beating Nick and Trisha. She had a lot of pain and anger inside her. Two emotions that were giving her the strength and the stamina she needed to beat them. This shouldn't be happening. He thought to himself. There were eleven of them against one.  
  
Brin sat crying where she held Jondy. Zane had removed the needle like apparatus and was gone searching for bandages, but Jondy was still bleeding rather heavily from such a small wound. She could hear Krit cussing all the way across the room as Max held him down and Ben worked carefully to pull out the blade ingrained in his lower back. It had seemed like just yesterday when they would all gather at Ben's bunk and listen to him tell them stories or watch him do shadow puppets on the wall. "Fala, please." She whispered burying her face into Jondy's hair.  
  
Fala threw one last kicked and turned her back, not waiting to watch Trisha sink to the floor like Nick had earlier. She managed to see Syl coming at her and she shot out another blade, watching Syl dodge it and then pull out a gun. Fala jerked to the side letting the bullet fly past her and shatter a vase. Without thinking she had dashed up to Syl and wrenched the gun from her hand while breaking one of her legs and knocking her flat on the ground. She twisted around to shoot at the guy in the wheelchair as he pulled out his own gun. She didn't care who he was, but he was interacting with X5s, that marked him as a target.  
  
Zack swore after moving around to make sure everyone was alright. He straightened up from where he had checked Trisha and Nick's pulse, in time to see Fala shoot at Logan. He held no love for him, and it wouldn't kill him to know Logan was dead. But Fala's aim had been lost and the bullet only grazed Logan's shoulder. Her arm had wavered when she shot, which led him to believe she had no taste for guns. He watched her drop the gun on the floor, disgust flashing across her face and he saw his chance. He leaped at her bringing her down to the floor. "Fala! Stop it! Stop this!" He ordered in his most commanding voice as he pinned her against the floor beneath him. She continued to struggle as hatred met his gaze, making him realize with a sinking heart how angry she was with them, with him. It only took him a moment to make his decision and he released her, getting up. "Fala. we didn't mean to. We were going to come back. You're part of our family."  
  
Fala had been surprised at first, shock was more closely to what she'd felt. She heard his words, and processed them. But it was too late, her judgment had been made also. Stupid. Her mind whispered as her last blade slid from its leather sheath into her hand and she jumped up, stabbing Zack with it.  
  
"Zack!" Zane yelped as he walked back into the room. He dropped the sheet he was holding and dashed to be at his big brother's side. Zack waved him off, making him stop where he was. Zack had his reason. He'd seen his big brother grab Fala's wrist, slowing down the impact, but not stopping it. Zack had been hurt. He started towards his big brother again, but once against Zack waved him off. He saw his brother's lips move as he spoke to Fala. He couldn't hear what was being said, but it must have had an impact. Fala turned to take in the injury and destruction she'd caused. Zane thought he saw a tear in her eye, as if she felt sorry for what she had done. He saw her sorrow, and he saw the comfort Zack was trying to offer.  
  
Fala wanted to cry. All her life she had been trying to convince herself that the hurt and pain her family felt had been Zack's fault. But nothing they felt had been pain, it had been love for one another and love for the freedom Manticore would never give. She acknowledged that if she was one of the twelve, she wouldn't mind being separated from her family. She knew they'd always be there for her when she needed them. As she took in all the pain her family felt now, it wasn't because of Zack, it was because of her. She had given them the hurt they were experiencing now. She felt Zack stroking her hand, trying to tell her it was okay and that it wasn't entirely her fault. But it was, it was her fault. She was the one who followed orders, orders given by Manticore to kill her family. She turned towards Zack, noticing for the first time that she was still hurting him. She pulled her hand back towards her and he made no move to stop her. The blade slid out from him, showing her that only about an inch had penetrated. He would be all right, he would live.  
  
Ben watched his sister's expressions carefully. She was sorry, she was really sorry. "Baby sister." He said quietly. She must have heard him for she turned around to face him. He stood and stepped towards her. "It's all right, it's not your fault."  
  
She was leaking. Fala reached up and wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her jacket. She'd seen forgiveness in Zane's eyes, and felt it in Zack's touch. As she met Ben's eyes and heard his voice, she knew he forgave her also. She became aware that she still clenched the blade tightly in her hand. She let it drop, hearing it hit the carpeted floor with a muffled thud. "I'm sorry, but I'm not ready yet." She said slowly. Fala turned towards where she'd seen the large picture window. It was her exit, and she hurled herself towards it, feeling the glass crack and then break from her weight before she was free and almost flying. The ground was coming up fast, or rather the roof to another building, she tucked herself into a ball twisting her body to land on her feet. Without turning she ran as fast as she could to as far as she could.  
  
"Yep, I can see the family resemblance." Logan commented dryly as Max wrapped up his shoulder.  
  
* * *  
  
The wind was whipping around her as she stood on top of the Space Needle. They'd find her here, she knew it. Somehow they were similar in that they were all attracted towards the tallest point they could see. Being above the world was their sanctuary from the everyday evils of the world. From Manticore, more specifically. What was she going to do? If the director found out she's bungled her mission, another soldier would be sent to take her place. Maybe not an X5 next time in case they held fragile visions of their "family." She didn't want to know what they'd do if they met up with an X6, or even an X7. They. funny how she thought of them as different from herself. She shouldn't, she shouldn't separate herself from them, after all, isn't she one of them now? Fala sighed. She didn't know who she was, or what her purpose in life was anymore. Everything was so confusing. She needed to sort everything out before she could go back and face "them." They might have forgive her, but she hadn't forgiven herself. She could never sit with them and talk with them without knowing that she had hurt them far worse than anyone else had. She, one of them.  
  
* * *  
  
So? What'd y'all think of this chapter? I know. it's a bit more emotional and a lot more somber compared to the first, but I'm just testing the water right now. This isn't that bad is it? 


	3. Chapter 3

Angel of Darkness  
  
By Astro Purple  
  
AstroPurpl@aol.com  
  
PG for language, violence, and some sexual references, but mostly language.  
  
Timeline: After Jace met Max but before season two with a few minor changes. Okay, okay, rather big changes. I loved Ben, Brin, and Tinga a lot and can't bear the thought of not writing about them. So Brin was rescued safely from Manticore for a third time and is back to normal. Tinga managed to get to Canada, and Max got to Charlie and Case before Lydecker and they're with her. Plus Max managed to drag Ben out of the woods and get him some help. There was a chemical imbalance with his brain that medication corrected.  
  
Summary: An X5 who didn't escape and is now sent to hunt down those who did.  
  
Disclaimer: Dark Angel characters belong to the wonderful people who bring Dark Angel to us.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Logan looked around his apartment in dismay, surveying the damage.  
  
"I'm really really sorry." Max said standing next to him. "It's not like this fight was planned or anything, she just sort of showed up."  
  
A sigh escaped his lips as he bent down and picked up a piece of what once had been a porcelain vase. "Oh well, it's all replaceable."  
  
"The police are coming." Syl observed from the broken window. "How are you going to explain to the police?" She asked pulling herself up to check her leg. "I mean, someone had to have heard something."  
  
"Steelheads broke in hoping to grab some quick cash, but Bling and I ended up being more than they bargained for." Logan said simply just as Bling walked in. "Their entrance was the skylight, and their exit was the window. Being Steelheads, the police won't doubt me."  
  
Zane showed up at the door holding a black duffel bag. "You're lucky she didn't toss us one of these." He commented holding up a grenade. "She was loaded."  
  
Zack nodded lifting a still unconscious Lucas onto his shoulder. "We need to get out of here. The cops are on their way up." He turned towards Logan. "Anyway we can get out without being seen?"  
  
"Service elevator or back stairway. You'll probably want to get away via a roof route."  
  
Zack nodded. He turned towards the others. "Let's get out of here."  
  
Brin silently gathered up all four blades and then followed her siblings.  
  
"Once again, I'm sorry about the mess." Max said as the last of her siblings disappeared. "I'll find some way to make it up to you. Take care." She added softly before bending down and placing a kiss on a surprised Logan's lips. She disappeared into the hallway also, leaving Logan to tell the story to Bling.  
  
* * *  
  
Nick asked quietly. "Where to now?"  
  
There they were, standing near the edge of the Space Needle overlooking the city of Seattle. An ocean of twinkling lights lying right at their feet. Nick's question still hanging in the air. The truth was, they didn't know where they were going next. Logan's living room had been pretty much trashed. It didn't feel right to crash there, at least, not for a while. And Fala was still out there, wandering the streets, with who knows what going on in her mind. She was probably confused, lost as to what to do next, and undoubtedly, if they didn't get to her first, Manticore would. Hell would have to freeze if they were going to let Manticore take one of them back.  
  
Trisha had woken up, feeling like the whole world trampled over her. "Little sis can sure hold her own." She had commented dryly checking on her bruises.  
  
"Manticore must have updated their soldiers." Zack said quietly. "Increased speed, agility, strength, and mind processing."  
  
Ben shook his head, always the observant one. "No, she was only angry. Angry, hateful, pained, and a bit of fear. Four emotions that pushed her to be faster and stronger than us, but it didn't clear her mind. I could see it all in her eyes. She was angry at us for leaving her in Manticore, she hated the fact that we could live while she could not, there was a great deal of pain inside her because she knew what she was doing was wrong somehow, and she was scared of coming up against us."  
  
"Then what pushed her to attack us like that? There were eleven of us, and there was only one of her." Syl demanded. "The odds were clearly in our favor."  
  
Lucas spoke softly, having just woken up. "Manticore." They almost didn't hear him as he walked up to join them in their vigilance of the city. "Only Manticore could push her to attack all of us at once. They must have known how she felt. She could have killed us all, but she stopped herself from completing the mission."  
  
Max butted in with her forwardness. "Mission? Manticore has never sent anyone on a mission, they're all assassinations."  
  
"But you don't know that. To us they were missions, but once we were outside and saw how people outside thought, they became assassinations. Zack, were you ever allowed to stay and watch how normal people treated your missions once you completed the task?" Jondy questioned Zack who shook his head. "See? We're back in Manticore the minute the gun goes off for re-indoctrination in case we picked up anything from the outside. Besides, Fala's just confused. If any of us were in her spot, so would we. The only thing we can do right now is figure out how to get to her and help her."  
  
"So we've got to search for her in this?" Krit asked gesturing to the wide expansion that was Seattle. "We're gonna have to split up."  
  
* * *  
  
Fala stood before the payphone, trying to figure out what to do. The sun had just set, signaling the passing of another day. The director would be waiting for another check-in. She didn't know what to do. She knew she would lie, and lie perfectly well as they'd been taught, but she couldn't lie as each check-in came. Manticore would get suspicious and dispatch someone they could trust more to check on her. Then they would know the truth.  
  
The phone felt heavy in her hand as she waited, patiently but full of fear. Finally the familiar voice was heard.  
  
"X5-387, mission status?"  
  
"Incomplete ma'am." She heard herself answer calmly.  
  
"Explain."  
  
Without hesitation, she began to relate the story she had woven in her head. "They knew I was coming and were expecting me. A couple of them led me to a warehouse where they were meeting and managed to convoy to the others that someone was following them. They were waiting for me inside. I didn't get a chance to kill any of them. However, their norm ally is now deceased."  
  
"Eyes Only?" The voice on the other end demanded.  
  
"Unsure. It was a norm, they all look alike."  
  
"Yes, well perhaps you can't handle all the renegades by yourself. Reinforcements are going to be sent. They should be arriving tomorrow evening in sector 7."  
  
Fala bristled with anger. How dare she?! "Ma'am, I can handle it myself."  
  
"Under normal circumstances I'm sure you can. However, there is more to this. We've intercepted a call from X5-656 to X5-599. She'll be arriving in Seattle within the next day. You couldn't handle eleven X5s; you won't be able to handle twelve. You have until tomorrow night to get me better news. Now get back to work." The line went dead.  
  
"Yes ma'am." Fala spoke to empty air and finally was able to hang up the phone before walking briskly away. The call had lasted longer than she had hoped, but she knew what she had to do now. That bitch! Her mind condemned the director. How dare she say 'under normal circumstances.' Now she not only had to deal with her state-of-mind, but also other X series. It had been on purpose that she hadn't been told who would be coming or how many, that she knew. She had to be careful now, they could already be here just to watch her and make sure she did her job.  
  
* * *  
  
Renfro leaned back in her seat. X5-387 had been lying. Undoubtedly lying. Lydecker had warned her about using transgenics to hunt down transgenics before he defected. But she had always hated being told what to do and what not to do. Her carelessness might cause her to lose one, or even several very good soldiers. She tapped her pen against her wood desk, thinking. She needed someone she could fully trust. The X5 series were still Manticore's best, which made them stronger and faster than the others. She could send some X6s. One of then could be an equal match for an X5 if he or she tried. But she didn't trust them. That was the whole catch. However, there was one who showed a lot of promise, one who returned from all solo missions successful and willingly.  
  
She pressed the little intercom button on her desk and spoke. "Bring X5- 494 to me."  
  
* * *  
  
Fala walked the streets of Seattle hastily, but always checking her surroundings. She had no idea where she was headed, and she didn't care. She had to find the others before "evening" tonight. Which could mean anything. Why did she have to go and screw up? She was in so much trouble now, it wasn't even funny. This mission would go on her record as a fail, she had reinforcements coming in to finish the job she couldn't, she didn't know how many were coming, or even exactly what time they'd show. She was scared now that they might have already arrived and were watching her, detailing a report to return to Renfro.  
  
She had spent most of the night before searching all the locations that 452 was known to hang out. She'd risked her neck and gone back to that one place she was at the night before. Foggle Towers. It had crossed her mind to waltz back into the apartment and demand from the crippled man where they were, but it was a security risk and she'd ended up deciding against it, seeing as there was still too many people about.  
  
Jam Pony loomed up before her and it had just opened for the day. Files said that 452 worked at a messenger/delivery place, but not what it was called. So she'd also spent most of last night breaking into businesses to get a look at their employee files. UPS had been her last stop and she hadn't found anything useful there, so she didn't expect to find much here.  
  
"Hi, I'm looking for Max." She said to the guy behind the counter.  
  
"Max?" Normal threw down the pen he was holding. "You know? Everyone's looking for Max these days! She called in sick this morning, so you won't find her here. But if you see her before me, let her know that if she's not here tomorrow morning, on time, dressed and ready for work, she can find herself another job elsewhere."  
  
Fala had no idea what to say. "Um. yes, sir." She turned and left in a daze. Another dead end, and yet it wasn't. She'd figured out where 452 worked, but her subject was missing.  
  
"Hey!" Someone called after her. "You're looking for Max, right?"  
  
She turned around to see a woman of African-American origins and frizzy black hair. "Yeah." She answered carefully.  
  
The woman studied her carefully. "Original Cindy." She said extending her hand.  
  
Fala shook the extended hand. "Can I help you?"  
  
Original Cindy laughed. "No boo, the point of me hollering after ya was to extend my help." After the laughter died from her face, she spoke intently and quietly. "You're one of them aren't you?" The confused look on Fala's face caused her to amend her question. "I mean, you're like Max aren't you?"  
  
Fala considered this. Maybe Max told all her friends she was a transgenic. "Yeah. It's important that I find her."  
  
"Well, I can't tell you much, other than that she left a note last night about someone hunting down her people and that she had to bounce. Have you checked Logan's? He's her boyfriend, really rich, lives in an apartment at the top of a tall building, Foggle Towers."  
  
So that was who the man was. "Yeah, he had no idea where she might have gone too. The place was attacked last night. She and the others left without leaving a trail."  
  
Original Cindy wrinkled her forehead. "That's weird. She normally don't go anywhere without letting either me or Miracle Boy know."  
  
Fala nodded. "Well that's okay, I'll keep looking for her. If you see her, will you let her know 387 needs to talk with her and the others?"  
  
Original Cindy nodded. "Yeah sure."  
  
"And if you see her before tonight, just say that 'others have been sent.' She'll know what I mean, please."  
  
"Hey Original Cindy! I don't pay you to stand there and talk with your friends!" Normal yelled waving a package.  
  
"I'll be going now. Thank you." Fala left quickly.  
  
* * *  
  
"X5-494, do you now know your mission?" Renfro asked looking at the male transgenic before her, right in the eye.  
  
"Yes ma'am." He said unflinching. "I am to lead a team of X6s to Seattle, track down X5-387, exterminate twelve rouge X5s, and return back to base for re-indoctrination."  
  
Renfro nodded. "And what do you do if X5-387 does not consent?"  
  
"Bring her back to base if possible, if not she is to be exterminated along with the rouges."  
  
"Good. I prefer not to lose any soldiers, even ones who have questionable loyalties." Renfro sat back, sure she had things under control. "Your team of X6s are waiting outside to be briefed. They are on a need-to-know basis and any information you deem unnecessary they will not know. You move out ASAP." 


	4. Chapter 4

Angel of Darkness  
  
By Astro Purple  
  
AstroPurpl@aol.com  
  
PG for language, violence, and some sexual references, but mostly language.  
  
Timeline: After Jace met Max but before season two with a few minor changes. Okay, okay, rather big changes. I loved Ben, Brin, and Tinga a lot and can't bear the thought of not writing about them. So Brin was rescued safely from Manticore for a third time and is back to normal. Tinga managed to get to Canada, and Max got to Charlie and Case before Lydecker and they're with her. Plus Max managed to drag Ben out of the woods and get him some help. There was a chemical imbalance with his brain that medication corrected.  
  
Summary: An X5 who didn't escape and is now sent to hunt down those who did.  
  
Disclaimer: Dark Angel characters belong to the wonderful people who bring Dark Angel to us.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
"Original Cindy met Fala." Max said after she hung up on her cell. They'd moved from their vigil on the Space Needle during the night to a warehouse in sector 9.  
  
Zack raised an eyebrow as if to ask, well?  
  
"She found out I worked at Jam Pony and she's looking for us. Original passed on a message for her." The other X5s had come to gather around Max to listen. "She said that she needs to talk with us, and that 'others have been sent.' Original didn't know what it meant, but we do." She pauses for a breath. "So what do we do?"  
  
"We find her, what else?" Ben answered, hoping he had echoed everyone's thoughts. "We saw the equipment in her duffel bag. She could have easily taken us out, but she didn't. And we all know Manticore doesn't dwell well on failure."  
  
Zane set the radio he held in his hand, down. "Even if we do reach her, she's got a lot going on inside. We're going to have to be careful with her. She's still dangerous." He added, remembering his encounter with her in the woods that first night.  
  
Jondy agreed enthusiastically. "She may be dangerous, but we're still her older siblings. I'd actually like to test myself against her, not against her weapons. I agree with Ben, we've got to go find her. It's time we show baby sis what it feels like breathing in the fresh air of freedom." She said with a wide grin on her face.  
  
Zack nodded. "We're going to have to scour this entire city for her."  
  
* * *  
  
This is stupid. Her mind echoed to her as she stepped onto the Space Needle. She surveyed the land at her feet, trying to figure out where she should go next. The rest of the day was still waiting, calling for her to spend them searching. But she didn't feel comfortable. All those people, norms, she would have to fit in with them going about their day. Be in close proximity with them, maybe brushing against them, or even touching them. She shuddered at that last thought. There were diseases out here that she didn't even want to think about, let alone get. Her original plan had been to finish her mission as fast as possible before hightailing it back to Manticore. Now, she wasn't even sure what her plan was, if she wanted to finish her mission, let alone if she wanted to go back to Manticore.  
  
She sat down where she was, scooting as close to the edge as possible. "Who am I?" She asked the empty air. "I am X5-387, but I'm also Fala. Can I be both?" Fala wrapped her arms around her knees, rocking herself gently. She had a decision to make, and she had until evening today.  
  
After most of her family had left, they'd been reprogrammed to be less independent. And then more X series were created, although never one as superior as the X5s had been. That fact had always made her proud as she'd walked amongst the other X series. None of them would ever be faster or stronger than her. Where they'd been taught to work alone and handle situations without compromising the safety of the rest of the team they worked with, the other X series had been taught to work as a team. They were always sent off on missions as a team of three or five. Smaller squadrons, but they had to stick together to survive.  
  
After the escape, she was separated from her family that was left. They were assigned to report to different heads and they spent their time training with different series. From what she had heard of the bits and pieces, of the ten of them that were left, two were killed on solo missions in foreign countries, another had died from a severe seizure, three had died from the genetic disease progeria, and then Jace had defected on a solo mission. There were only three of them left. Her, X5-494, and X5- 934.  
  
X5-934, she'd met him once. He was one of the younger ones, just like her, but still older than she was. She hadn't been old enough to understand all the torture; all the questioning conducted after the escape. He had. That one time she'd met him had been purely accidental. Sometimes when she thought back to it, she regretted meeting him, and other times she was glad. He was the one who had let her know there were only three of them left. He was the one who had let her know that Brin had been brought back, but later escaped with the help of two rouge X5s. She'd seen a raw emotion in his eyes when he'd spoke, and it had scared her then. If she closed her eyes, she can remember it, and it still scared her.  
  
* * *  
  
Zane sped on his motorcycle searching the city. He rounded a turn fast enough that if he had moved his hand a foot, he could have touched the ground.  
  
"Be careful!" Ben yelled from his seat behind him as he scrambled to keep from losing skin. "I'm driving next time!"  
  
Zane ignored his brother and continue to speed. They were in a fairly desolate portion of the town, what use to be more tourism than businesses and homes. There were relatively few people about. He screeched to a stop at the end of a major avenue to think. They'd zipped through all the major streets and a couple of the smaller ones. He didn't think he had to 'scour' every inch of the sectors he and Ben had been assigned to. If Fala was looking for them, why would she be hiding from them? And she'd probably run out to see what's going on if she heard his cycle. He revved his cycle as he thought.  
  
Ben tapped his shoulder and pointed towards the Space Needle in the distance. "What do you see up there?" He asked.  
  
He lifted his vision to include the top of the Space Needle and began to zoom in. At first he saw nothing, but gradually as his vision brought him closer he saw something up there. Slowly he began the painstakingly process of clearing up what he saw. Finally detaching the figure from the rest of the Space Needle he realized it was a person. The only indication that anybody was up there was the fact that she or he was just a shade or two darker than the background of the Needle.  
  
"It's Fala." Ben whispered behind him.  
  
Annoyed he twisted around to stare at his brother's face. "How do you know? It's too faraway for even us with super vision to see clearly."  
  
"It's her, I know it is. Who else would be up there? Not any of us, we're all out searching. No norms would dare attempt to climb up there since the only way up is an emergency ladder that could break off at any second."  
  
Zane considered his brother's deduction. "Okay, you're right." He muttered revving up his engine against before zooming off, barely hearing his brother's weak protests about the speed and his driving ability.  
  
The closer they got to the Space Needle; they became positive it was Fala. Ben fumbled with his cell phone, trying to stay on Zane's cycle while dialing one-handed for Zack.  
  
As Zane screeched to a halt beneath the Needle, he rocketed off his seat leaving Ben to finish the call and stable the cycle before following. He clambered up the ladder with only the speed and agility of an X5. As he reached the top, he pulled himself through a hole and into the restaurant portion of what use to be the Space Needle. From there he clambered out through a window.  
  
"Fala?" He called out quietly as he approached the edge. The figure uncoiled herself a little, scooting herself to safer ground. "It's me, Zane." He heard Ben arrive behind him, a little breathless. "And Ben. How are you? We've been looking for you, too."  
  
Fala turned around to face them, throwing only one last look at the setting sun. "I'm fine." She got up slowly. "I have to go now. It's time. Give Tinga my love when she shows."  
  
She moved passed them and re-entered the Space Needle. Wordless, Ben and Zane followed, wondering what she meant. Fala climbed down the ladder, taking her time, reaching the bottom just as other cycles pulled up, carrying the other X5s.  
  
"Fala?" Trisha called out uncertainly as she pulled off her helmet. "What's going on?"  
  
There was still a bit of time. The 'reinforcements' wouldn't be venturing out to search for her until it was totally dark. They shouldn't, but she could never be certain.  
  
"Fala?" Max asked stepping towards her.  
  
"I have… reinforcements coming to help me out." Fala spoke quietly, trying to look like she was intently studying her watch. "She, the new director, doesn't trust me. I have to go meet them in sector four, tonight."  
  
Everyone was silent. Reinforcements to an X5 meant they were relieved of their mission and will be sent back to Manticore by force if necessary.  
  
"Where and who?" Zack demanded, even though he already knew the answer.  
  
Fala shrugged. "She didn't say. Just sector four. Maybe X6 series, X7 series, or even X8. After you guys got away, we were split up. Most of us died or were KIA. There's only three of us left as of three months ago. That number might have changed."  
  
Zack nodded. "Get on your way. We'll follow."  
  
* * *  
  
X5-494 tapped his foot impatiently as he waited. It was a horrible norm quality he'd picked up on one of his first solo missions, but he hadn't been able to get rid of it. He glanced with a bit of disgust at the X6s who'd been assigned to him. Six of them, all a bit younger than him. As if they could take down an X5. He thought to himself. He once again searched the darkness with his keen sight. He cursed silently. Sure she hadn't been told where they would be meeting but it shouldn't take an X5 this long to search the entire sector. He glanced once more at the X6s who were lounging against a building, being bored.  
  
"I'm going to look for X5-387. You six stay here, and out of trouble, or else." He glared at them trying to pound his threat into their measly brains.  
  
The X6s regarded him closely before deciding he meant it and saluted him.  
  
He sighed, trying to keep his anger inside. They were an unruly bunch and didn't take well to superiors of other series. He was lucky they were conceding even now. He headed off leaving them behind, keeping his senses alert.  
  
* * *  
  
Fala slowly proceeded down the empty street nervously, studying her surroundings very carefully. She hated surprises. Especially surprises that involved other transgenics. They normally ended with a transgenic dead or severely hurt.  
  
Self-consciously she reached up and fingered her exposed barcode. Her hair was up and it made her feel extremely vulnerable. She didn't know how she was going to recognize whoever was sent or how they would recognize her, and this was the only option she knew. She had to calm down. The more nervous she was, the better chance the transgenics would have of surprising her. She checked behind her, looking at the rooftops and dark alleys wondering where Zack and the others were. He had said they'd follow her, but she felt alone. Then he appeared.  
  
It was Ben, but it wasn't. She stood there staring at him. His face was expressionless and he was dressed in combat wear. His arms were folded over his chest as he returned her gaze.  
  
"Ben?" She let her sentence trail wondering what she should say. She was mad at herself silently for being surprised and having not heard him approach.  
  
X5-494 felt like smirking. She hadn't been ready for him to appear and obviously there was a lot on her mind since she didn't even remember to state her designation like she should have. Then she'd called him Ben. X5- 493, his psycho twin, or rather clone.  
  
"Ben?" Fala took a few steps towards him, trying to decide what to do. "Ben?" She raised a hand to his face. "I thought…" She had been ready to say she thought he was suppose to be discretely following her, until she saw his eyes. 


	5. Chapter 5

Angel of Darkness  
  
By Astro Purple  
  
AstroPurpl@aol.com  
  
PG for language, violence, and some sexual references, but mostly language.  
  
Timeline: After Jace met Max but before season two with a few minor changes. Okay, okay, rather big changes. I loved Ben, Brin, and Tinga a lot and can't bear the thought of not writing about them. So Brin was rescued safely from Manticore for a third time and is back to normal. Tinga managed to get to Canada, and Max got to Charlie and Case before Lydecker and they're with her. Plus Max managed to drag Ben out of the woods and get him some help. There was a chemical imbalance with his brain that medication corrected.  
  
Summary: An X5 who didn't escape and is now sent to hunt down those who did.  
  
Author's Note: I'm stuck as to where to go from here, so if anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate it if you'd drop a line. Thanks ahead of time!  
  
Disclaimer: Dark Angel characters belong to the wonderful people who bring Dark Angel to us.  
  
* * *  
  
They weren't Ben's eyes. There was amusement in them, almost mocking. Who was this person? He wasn't Ben. Fala reached up impulsively and tugged on his hair, pinched his cheek, trying to find out if he was wearing a mask and this was all a joke.  
  
X5-494 was beginning to get annoyed. He saw the confusion in her face, almost as if she was expecting someone else. And when she started touching him, he became aggravated. He snatched her hand, holding it away from his face and demanded. "Look, who were you expecting? In case you haven't heard, X5-934 was killed on his solo mission a month ago. We're the only two left."  
  
Fala gave a half-hearted shrug trying to withdraw her hand in his iron-like grip. "I didn't know that. But I was expecting maybe an X6, X7, or X8. More than one transgenic, and least of all, someone, anyone who didn't look like you."  
  
"387, you are so naïve. Hard to believe you're an X5. There are X6s. I'm in charge of them." 494 replied snidely finally releasing her hand. "Renfro wouldn't send X7s, her highly loyal and extremely capable perimeter guards, or X8s, who haven't matured enough to concentrate on even one simple task in Manticore. As for the way I look, deal with it." He took a step back, letting his eyes move over her. "Because I'm certainly dealing with the way you look."  
  
Fala stuck her hands in her pockets, hoping they wouldn't lash out from there to smack the smirk off of 494's face. "All right then, high commanding officer, lead the way back to where you foolishly left the X6s to their own primitive brains."  
  
"For your information, the X6s can follow command, as long as you assert your authority strongly enough."  
  
Fala arched an eyebrow. "Oh really? I find that hard to believe." As if to prove her point, a car came squealing down the street headed straight towards them. She reached out, grabbed a handful of 494's shirt and pulled him off the road. She got a look at a bunch of teens dressed in combat gear, each waving some sort of weapon, and one flicking them off. "Your X6 series assist team?" She inquired, trying to plaster innocence into her voice.  
  
494 smoothed his rumpled shirt, trying to establish his calm. "I'll bet they were off to go scout the territory." His voice sounded strained, even to his own ears.  
  
"Ha! Try again."  
  
A sigh escaped his mouth. "You win. I should have known they were up to something when none of them verbally resisted my order to stay where they were."  
  
Fala leaned against a street lamp and asked nonchalantly. "So what are you planning on doing?" 494's eyes questioned her as he studied her facial expression, wondering. "It's not my problem. I'm returning to Manticore once I pass on my information. I was just wondering how you're going to stop a bunch of adrenaline driven X6s with dangerous weapons from drawing too much attention."  
  
"And who said you were going back to Manticore?"  
  
Fala looked at him, meeting his eyes. "Renfro said 'reinforcements.' We all know what that means. You have my mission now, don't you?" She added the last part hesitantly.  
  
494 smiled slyly. "As I recall the X6s ran away. And reinforcements mean exactly what it sounds like. We were sent here to help you complete your mission. Then return to Manticore together. But since the X6 team has disappeared, I suggest you take more of an interest in helping me recover them. Well? I think you know that the director has lost trust in you. I can give you a positive referral, 387."  
  
"Fala." She corrected.  
  
"Sure, whatever."  
  
Fala looked him up and down, taking her time. "Would you prefer Alec or Dick?"  
  
494 did a double take. "Excuse me?" He croaked, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was.  
  
"For you. Would you like to be called Alec or Dick? Alec meaning smart- aleck, and Dick meaning exactly what it sounds like."  
  
"How about John instead? That's a nice, normal name."  
  
Fala laughed. "Too bad you're not nice, or normal." She walked over to a payphone. "Oh look, a phone, time for check-in with the director." She commented, smiling. "Wonder what's going to be said about you losing the X6s."  
  
"Absolutely nothing because we won't be checking-in tonight. Our excuse tomorrow will be that we were busy dealing with the renegade X5s. Now, first on our list of things to do tonight will be the recovery of the loose X6s. If they cause too much damage, unnecessary attention will be drawn to that and there will be local law enforcement involvement, perhaps even a forced government 'investigation.' And we both know that's exactly what Manticore doesn't need. Now let's go."  
  
* * *  
  
Throughout the entire search, Fala had managed to keep up a string of chatter to annoy anyone, just to cover up some of the 'noise' she could hear the other X5s make behind them. She caught 'Alec' give her the death look twice but she'd done her best to misinterpret it, which for an X5 was hardly possible.  
  
"So have you suddenly decided to start calling me Alec without my opinion? Or was my opinion of both choices good enough for you?"  
  
Fala shrugged. "You struck me more as an Alec than a Dick. Maybe if you start thinking more with your male anatomy, I could be persuaded to call you Dick."  
  
Half the night later, the two X5s advanced upon a run-down bar in one of the worst sectors in the city. The trail left by the X6s led to here, and it was here that the stolen station wagon lay smashed against a lamppost 'parked' in front of the bar. A round of bullets was loosed inside the bar and a couple of bikers stumbled out, searching around wildly before spotting their bikes.  
  
Fala sighed, frowning. "Too late on that 'discrete recovery' thing." She commented as the two of them stepped inside the bar.  
  
The cramped room was heavy with cigarette smoke and the strong smell of liquor. More bikers maneuvered past the two of them, tossing Alec a hostile look.  
  
"Crazy kids these days." A fat, bald guy muttered shoving his way past the two of them. "They think they own everything."  
  
Alec's gaze hardened as his eyes laid sight upon the six X6 series soldiers. They had secured themselves the only pool table, the TV, two of the tables, and a personal waitress. The two female X6s were shooting a game of pool, while the four males were alternating between arguing over the TV, ordering more beer, and pawing the scared female who was obviously not a waitress. One of them, obviously their CO, was waving a semi- automatic Uzi while shouting at some of the apparent bar regulars to quit talking and dominating the bartender's attention.  
  
Fala tsked as she stared at the scene. "Guess you got stuck with the Manticore rejects."  
  
Alec turned his icy expression onto her. "Do me a favor and make yourself useful. Grab the two girls and get them outside."  
  
"Whatever." Fala said making her way towards the pool table. "Alright kids, playtime's over." She grabbed the two X6s forcing them to drop their pool sticks and then shoving them towards the door. "Uh huh! Don't even think about that." Her hand grabbed one of the girl's before it managed to reach a pocket where a handgun was contained. She gave them both a serious look before commanding them to leave. Outside she waited as one by one, Alec tossed out the males as they attempted to put up a fight. Last out on their rump was their CO. "Honey…" Fala said sweetly, kicking one of the downed X6s. "They're just kids."  
  
Alec picked up without missing a beat. "I know…" He reached down and dragged the CO onto his feet. "But they're never gonna learn right from wrong if they're always babied. But I promise, next time, I won't be so gentle." With absolute calm, he snapped the CO's arm.  
  
* * *  
  
"I don't like this turn of events." Lucas whispered voicing what was on everyone's mind. "If I recall from our Manticore days, 494 was always a little too cocky and ambitious. It's been years and I can see he's still exactly the same."  
  
They hid in the shadows watching quietly as the X6's arm was broken. They felt sorry for him in the respect that he hadn't grown up normally and was only doing what kids his age did.  
  
Brin watched from her position, glaring at the two X5s. They were her siblings, but she couldn't help feeling the anger that she did. Sure, she'd done a lot of stuff when Manticore forced her return, and she was sorry for all of it. And she knew that if she had the control of her own mind like the two X5s before her, she would not have done any of it. The people she'd killed and those who had been hurt, she regretted not resisting the orders more. As the months had dragged on, it got easier watching more and more people fall by her hand. She was grateful to her big brothers and sisters who came and got her out. They saved her before she'd lost herself completely to the madness that was Manticore. Fala come into their lives again after they had left on orders, and she didn't stop herself from hurting her family. Brin hated Fala for being so weak, she didn't understand that in the real world you don't hurt your own family members. A few hours ago Brin might have forgiven Fala and welcomed her as family again, but now, seeing her stand next to a fellow X5 and smirk at the howling X6's pain drained her. Whatever love or hope that might have been growing was gone now. In Brin's mind, Fala had died long ago that snowy night they escaped, and this girl who was a grown version of her little sister was a replacement. And X5-494, Ben's clone, had died also.  
  
Trisha studied her younger sister closely. Brin was absorbed into her own thoughts, into the scene that was playing before them. She could piece together the expressions, which flashed across Brin's face, and almost read her thoughts. Anger. Resentment. Hatred. Trisha returned her attention to the scene before them. Seeing 494 break an arm on purpose and with no regrets scared her. The X6 CO was someone he probably saw on a daily basis at Manticore, maybe even trained with. What would 494 do when it came to them, his own family?  
  
Zack glanced at his watch and then signaled for Krit, Syl, and Jondy to follow after the Manticore soldiers. The rest of them needed to get back to their temporary residence. Tinga would be arriving soon and Zack wanted to brief her before she meets either or their lost siblings or the X6 series soldiers. To tell the truth, he was a bit worried on events that would be happening. He didn't think X5-494 would leave Manticore to join his rouge siblings, and he hoped the X5 wouldn't pick up on Fala's restlessness. If he did, he might ship her back to Manticore without them knowing or before they even got a chance to get her out. With Krit, Syl, and Jondy following, he felt a little safer knowing their warehouse wouldn't be accidentally stumbled upon to.  
  
* * *  
  
"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" X6-296 yelled as his Second attempted to set his arm for a cast. X5-494's job hadn't exactly been clean and his fellow comrades had been alternating for the past two hours in cleaning his arm and pulling out broken splinters of bones. Now, X6-713 was maneuvering his arm into the correct position so the bone could regenerate any missing pieces and heal. X6-296 gritted his teeth as another large piece of bone was extracted.  
  
Fala sighed as she tried to ignore the amateur doctor work that was going on behind her. From what she had seen a few minutes ago, the X6 would probably have to regenerate half of the bone in his upper arm. Recuperation for him would be at least a week. She wondered if what Alec had done was smart, not that she cared, she was only interested in keeping him and his "reinforcements" away from her family.  
  
She climbed out the window, trying to get away from the noise and still unclear as to why she led them here, to the Space Needle. Now they were in the dome portion and positioned as to have a clear view of all the major and semi-major streets, on a good day. She padded her way to the edge and sat down, studying the view below. Tonight wasn't exactly clear and all she could see through the mist like build-up was a few dark shapes that were taller buildings and lights from some of the rooms near the top. Fala locked her arms around her knees and shut her eyes. She felt separated from the world below, like she was in another world. In a way, she was. The mist was the walls to her prison, keeping her from leaving and keeping others from entering.  
  
"Just to get back at what happened to their CO, one of the X6 soldiers could sneak up behind you and give you a little push, seeing as how attentive you are to your surroundings." The voice shot out from behind her.  
  
Fala felt like groaning. Just what she needed now. "Or, a certain pissed- off X5 could turn around and give you a gentle push." She muttered hoping he'd get the point and go away. She wasn't in a talkative mood just then and the anger she felt at Alec wasn't helping. He thought he could just dump his X6 kids with her and expect her to baby-sit them while he saunters off to hell-knows-where, well he couldn't. If his kids weren't genetically engineered killing machines who couldn't be let loose unsupervised on a city full of innocent norms, she would have been long gone by now.  
  
Alec groaned. "Okay, so I left you with the X6 series soldiers for a while. It's not like they bite. Besides, from what I saw, they were a bit preoccupied tending to their wounded CO to bother you." He sat himself down behind her. "There's still half the night, we shouldn't waste it all sitting here. If we scout around, we might be able to pick up our target's trail."  
  
"Sure." Fala decided after careful thought. "It doesn't look like the X6s are going anywhere anyway. Not with their CO demanding that they treat him like royalty. A trek down over a hundred floors of stairs won't be his cup of tea." I don't know what we can find, but if I can convince him we need to split up, I can disappear. 


End file.
